Get a head start on all those leaves

Autumn is here! The leaves from the cherry trees have already started to fall. In fact, my trees are almost bare! What will start as a beautiful display of colorful leaves falling to the ground will eventually turn into a mounding mass of leaves and work. This year, get a head start! Here are the rules of raking leaves:

Don’t bag the leaves and put them at the street. There is no room at the landfill and that’s too much work.

Don’t let the leaves stay on the lawn for very long; this will damage the grass.

Do mow the lawn and leaves with a mulching mower. The leaves will just disappear -- no raking needed.

Don’t burn the leaves; this is a fire hazard and pollutes the air.

Do rake the leaves and put them in the compost pile.

Do rake the leaves into a pile and run over them with the mower, to make mulch for landscape beds. This can also be done with a chipper/shredder.

Do buy a blower that also vacuums and mulches and put the mulched leaves back into your beds.

Do rake the leaves into a big pile and jump in them with your kids or loved ones.

Keep your gutters clean. This can be a dangerous project, so hire a professional if needed. Consider gutter covers to prevent leaves and pine straw from entering the gutters.

Todd Goulding provides residential landscape design consultations. Contact him at www.fernvalley.com or 478-345-0719.

This story was originally published September 16, 2015 at 9:29 PM with the headline "Get a head start on all those leaves ."